Humorous Performance artists have a list of reference characters, complete with posture and voice. There is the matriarch, the sassy teenager, the emotional child, the athlete, the English gentleman/woman, the geek, the old man, etc. For those one-liners, or ones strictly there for outrageous comic relief, a standard character might just pop in for a quick laugh. It’s a cheap laugh, but one that usually works anyway. These common characters, or stereotypes (yes, they are stereotypes since they are based on the generalization of a group), are familiar. And there is comfort in the familiar. The public knows that character. People can instantly relate, see the joke, and thus make it easy for an actor to turn a character with minimal exposure into a laugh.
However, in this politically correct world, common characters can be frowned upon rather quickly if taken too far. There is a risk of a gay character being flamboyant and very Jack from Will & Grace. To avoid turning a laugh into a grimace, there are some common rules of thumb:
1. Don’t overstock. A humorous interpretation with nothing but stereotypes is boring. The public knows these characters; they see them every day on television and in the movies. This overuse of stereotypes not only bores your audience, but also shows how unoriginal you are with your performance. At an event titled Comedy Acting, it would be wise to prominently promote your acting skills, perhaps actually doing something?
2. Know the limits. An ordinary character can quickly transform into a harsh stereotype if the joke is taken too far. Exaggeration works in comedy and is one of the salient features, but using the gesture/vocalization of a stereotype to the extreme is not fun. What bubbly voice from California are you going to add to that cheerleader who moves her hair too much and spells words? Really. It’s like watching a guy tell a joke that she thinks is HILARIOUS and laugh wildly about it in an annoying way, when it really isn’t. Only for. The joke is dead.
3. SUBSTANCE!!! A standard character for a minor role is fine and can be a riot if done tactfully. A leading role as a blatant stereotype, unless the script sees it as such, might not work. Comedy is fun because of the wacky antics the characters get into and the over-the-top performances. HOWEVER, there needs to be some reflection of reality, otherwise his work is worthless. The comedy is meant to teach life lessons in an embellished way. How can audiences connect with and learn from a humorous performance when the characters are so distant and unreal?
4. Familiarity. Common characters/stereotypes are images, voices, and caricatures that the audience has seen before. Ergo, your humorous portrayal can easily get boring if the character doesn’t have a real flair. To properly use a common character, you must give all your energy and sell it. Try adding different quirks as stated/interpreted from the script as well to add some originality. HI artists must be creative and energetic to win over the audience.
Creating categories and tagging groups is unavoidable. Stock characters have been around since the ancient Greeks created the theater (who can forget the character of Theophrastus from The Nasty Man?). Back then, easily recognizable characters, through clothing, mask, and posture, were necessary for the audience to know the personality and learn the moral of the drama without complications. Thousands of years later, humans still need to generalize and create a group image. People relate to the generalization, but can distance themselves enough to take comfort in the fact that “they’re not that person.” This delicate balance is what helps a certain connection and catharsis to take place. Burst the comfort bubble and people will find the generalization distasteful. Knowing that, stereotypes/stock characters can become petty and pointless when they lack heart and are pushed beyond the limits. Always keep in mind the standard character you use and ask yourself “is it too far?”